HJNO Jan/Feb 2025

48 JAN / FEB 2025  I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS   Healthcare Briefs from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives.” Kennedy, a longtime critic of pharmaceutical and food industries, has stirred controversy with his stance on vaccines and medical freedom. As the founder of Children’s Health Defense, he has advocated for greater scrutiny of vaccines and other public health mandates, drawing both sup- port and criticism across the political spectrum. Mehmet Oz, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality, has been tapped to head CMS, the federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid. Trump’s vision for CMS under Oz includes modernizing the programs to ensure financial sustainability, combating fraud and ineffi- ciencies, and empowering patients to make more informed health decisions. Marty Makary, MD, has been nominated for FDA Commissioner. Makary’s focus will be restor- ing scientific rigor and expediting drug approvals. Janette Nesheiwat, MD, has been nominated for the position of surgeon general. Nesheiwat will lead public health efforts. All nominations are set to face Senate review in the coming weeks. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Opens Metairie Clinic Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has announced the opening of a clinic in Metairie, located at 2800 Veterans Memorial Blvd. The clinic specializes in the multidisciplinary management and treat- ment of patients with urologic cancers, provid- ing advanced care for prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers. The clinic is the Cancer Center’s first in the Metairie area. It will be led by Scott Delacroix, MD, Jessie Gills, MD, and Carrie Marquette, MD. Delacroix, a urologic oncologist, studied at Lou- isiana State University in Baton Rouge before attending Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He completed an internship at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in general surgery, a residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation & Loui- siana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in urology, and a fellowship at the Uni- versity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Currently, he is the director of uro- logic oncology and a full professor with tenure at Louisiana State University Health Science Center in New Orleans. Gills, a urologic oncologist, received an under- graduate degree from Louisiana Tech University and went on to study at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. He interned at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in the department of general surgery and then completed a resi- dency in urology for Louisiana State University and Ochsner Clinic Foundation. A fellowship was completed at Kansas University Medical Center. Marquette, a medical oncologist, studied at the University of Wisconsin for a bachelor’s degree, then at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She went on to the University of Alabama for a residency in inter- nal medicine and fellowship in hematology and oncology. Marquette has previously worked at Mary Bird Perkins. Jodi Conachen, chief operating officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, said the new clinic would continue Mary Bird Perkins’ mission of pro- viding crucial cancer care to local communities, close to home. Jodi Conachen, chief operating officer, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, said the new clinic would continue Mary Bird Perkins’ mission of pro- viding crucial cancer care to local communities, close to home. Private Control, Public Risk: LHSAAWithholds Concussion and Brain Injury Data on High School Football Players in Louisiana The Louisiana High School Athletic Associa- tion (LHSAA), which oversees high school sports across the state, is facing growing scrutiny after refusing to disclose concussion and brain injury statistics for public school football players. This lack of transparency has raised concerns about the safety of a sport known to cause both short- term and long-term brain damage. Despite over- seeing sports for public schools, the LHSAA is a private organization with no public oversight, leaving critical data on player health hidden from view. Private Organization, Public Schools The LHSAA governs athletics for more than 80% of Louisiana’s public high schools, making decisions that directly affect thousands of stu- dent-athletes. Despite its critical role, the Louisi- ana Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the LHSAA is a private entity — not subject to public records laws. This means the LHSAA can legally refuse to provide the public with important data, including concussion rates and the impact of mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) on players. According to a JAMA report published in Healthcare Journal of New Orleans even after one season, high school players can experi- ence white matter changes in their brains. These findings show the urgent need for more pub- lic access to data and better oversight of high school sports. By hiding this information, the LHSAA denies parents, players, and educators the chance to address a growing health concern affecting Louisiana’s youth. Tulane to Lead CDC Center for Public Health Emergency Preparedness Across South Central US The Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane Univer- sity joins Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and six other universities as the site of one of a series of new regional centers the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is establishing around the country to help regions better prepare for future pandemics and other public health emergencies. The Region 6 Center for Health Security and Response Readiness will address critical gaps in crisis preparedness in public health systems across Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, Okla- homa, Texas, and 68 federally recognized tribal nations. Funded by a $4 million, five-year CDC grant, it is one of 10 regional centers to be estab- lished nationwide with the goal of advancing and implementing new evidence-based strategies and interventions. “The vision for the center is to create a robust, collaborative network that enhances the abil- ity of public health systems to prevent, detect and respond to emergencies on state, local and tribal levels,” said Principal Investigator Stephen Murphy, director of the Tulane Disas- ter Management Master of Public Health Pro- gram. “This is an opportunity to better support our public health systems and workforce, build